Letter: Action warranted by students' pesticide study

Editor: We were pleased to read the recent article highlighting the importance of protecting children's health, "Teens' science project causes stir," on March 26. Two courageous students are utilizing science to understand what's in the air around a local elementary school near St Augustine. Their findings show that the air near the school contains pesticides that are known to be carcinogenic and that disrupt growth and development. It's unfortunate that rather than praising them for their work, many people have instead taken a "shoot the messenger" approach.

The sampling the girls did followed rigorous scientific protocols based on standard National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) methods. The question shouldn't be, "Are these results valid?" but rather, "What do these results mean?" It's worth noting that those who criticized the study have no data of their own to back up their claims that no harm is being done.

It is quite encouraging that the school is committed to doing more air testing. I hope that this testing is conducted in a transparent manner with the results made public for all to see. In the meantime, it surely makes sense to implement precautionary measures that allow parents to protect their children's health, such as notifying parents when toxic chemicals are sprayed nearby and establishing protection zones around schools to reduce children's exposure to toxic chemicals that may interfere with their health and growth.

This project has raised important questions. We hope that the school administration and local authorities involve the girls in continued monitoring, congratulate their scientific inquiry, and encourage their pursuit of knowledge and the protection of children.